7 Tips for Healthy Feet at Home

They say that creating good habits is always easier than breaking tough ones. Slipping helpful little things in your daily routine can be a great way to boost self-care. Our feet are often left out of the routine, but we’ve put together some solid tips to get them involved! We know everyone leads busy lives too, so don’t worry, these are small, quick changes to make around your home that will keep your feet comfortable and healthy.

Try these at-home tips for great foot care:

1. Remove your shoes. The bottoms of your shoes are loaded with germs: bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc. from wherever you were traipsing around during your day. If you walk all over your house in dirty shoes, it leaves a trail of germs that can get on your bare feet later, or could be picked up by a crawling baby in your house!

2. Put them in a shoe rack. An open shoe rack lets them air out, as opposed to putting them in a closet or cabinet. Closing them off that way can prevent them from properly drying out and can contribute to the development of athlete’s foot.

3. Keep a container of socks by your shoes. A small container of clean socks ensures you’ll never put your shoes on without socks if you’re just running out for a minute. Wearing shoes without socks causes foot odor and can even attract nasty bacteria onto your bare feet.

4. Place rubber mats in the bath. This is a solid safety tip that prevents you from slipping on a wet tub causing an ankle sprain.

5. Put anti-slip strips on hardwood stairs. This is another safety precaution that is especially necessary if you have elderly residents or very young children in your home.

6. Get plush anti-fatigue mats for places you stand a lot. If you find yourself standing on hard tile or hardwood floors for a long time, these plushy mats can prevent your feet and back from becoming sore and tired. They’re great for in front of the sink or the stove in the kitchen. If you have a home office, use them in front of a standing desk.

7. Relax with some nice slippers! Ensure you get the right type of slippers. Slippers that have a grippy bottom can cause you to trip up if you have carpeted floor, but if you have hardwood floors, you need that extra grip so you don’t slip and fall!

If you’ve slipped and hurt your ankle at home or have any other foot or ankle injury, we’re here to help. Dr. Stuart Snyder here at Maple Springs Foot Center is here to help assess and treat any feet or ankle issues you might be experiencing. To get in touch, request an appointment online or call our office conveniently located in Gaithersburg, MD at 301-762-3338.